Kicking the Procrastination Habit

Procrastination is an easy habit to fall into. Once you get there, it can be hard (if not impossible) to dig your way out. Procrastination is a lot like an avalanche, the longer it goes, the bigger it grows.

My uncanny ability to procrastinate reached almost infamous proportions when I was in school. I was so adept at waiting until the last second to start and complete major projects that I began to convince myself that I did best under pressure. This â€œgiftâ€ followed me through college, and into marriage (much to the dismay of my husband).

Now I have children who are looking at me to see what is the correct way to act. Procrastination is no longer my friend or a gift. This curse is hindering my ability to be the example I want to be. Plus, I have now discovered that ever time I put something off there is just more to do the next time I come around to it.

My procrastination mess just keeps growing and growing and growing.

I know all the reasons NOT to procrastinate:

â€¢ You never know what tomorrow will hold, but you do know there is going to be something that happens to interrupt what you had planned to do.

â€¢ Sicknesses (or injury) always seem to occur when there is the least amount of free time available.

â€¢ If something is getting put off then I am not doing what I know to do.

â€¢ â€œDo it nowâ€ has little meaning to my children when I spend all of my time waiting to do it tomorrow.

Yesterday I was joking that cable hasnâ€™t been run out to my house so that I could have high speed internet service. â€œI know I have learned patience.â€ Since I keep putting off projects and getting stuck with a connection that is slower than Christmas, maybe my problem is procrastination.

The only way I know to break the habit of procrastination is to start doing things right now â€“ this instant â€“ no matter how small. Doing a little of what needs to be done, with out question or hesitation, will get me well on the way to living a procrastination free life.